Experiencing an emergency evacuation because of a fire in your home can be traumatic and confusing for every member of your family, including your pets. Just as planning ahead and teaching your family what to do before a disaster strikes can save their lives, you can also take steps to protect your furry friends by coming up with an action plan. Our fire damage restoration experts at Restoration Now! Omaha will teach you how to make sure your pets are taken care of during a fire emergency.
Planning Ahead for an Omaha Fire Damage Situation
In order to ensure your pet’s safety in a fire damage situation, you need to come up with a plan that you can put into action at a moment’s notice. Unlike other emergencies, a home fire often happens with no warning, so success depends on your ability to come up with an easily executable plan and practice it so that if and when the time comes, you’ll be ready.
First, create an emergency kit for each of your pets that contains the following items:
- A photo and description of your pet
- Pet food, bottled water, and medications
- Proof of vaccination from your family veterinarian
This kit ensures that you’ll have the supplies necessary to take care of your pets, and your pets’ vaccination documents will allow you to board them if necessary during your relocation process.
Have a Written Home Fire Escape Plan
In addition to this emergency kit, there are a few other things that you’ll want to keep on hand in case a home fire requires you to act quickly. First, you’ll want a written evacuation plan that you can refer to and practice from so that you’re ready if the worst happens. This should include specific instructions for multiple possible escape routes, as well as a safe location outside your home for your family to meet (a secondary location isn’t a bad idea, either, in case the first turns out not to be safe under the circumstances).
Keep a Leash or Carrier Handy for Evacuation
To keep your pets safe and under control while evacuating, our Omaha fire damage restoration specialists suggest you keep a leash or pet carrier on hand. Experiencing a home fire is frightening for everyone in your family, including your pets, and they can react to the situation in ways that could get them hurt or worse (crawling under a couch, say, while the house is burning). Keeping them on a leash or in a carrier while evacuating your home can also help your pets stay calm during a fire emergency.
Last but Not Least, Leave the Door Open
Anything can happen in a fire damage situation, so it’s important to try and plan for the unforeseen as best as you can. We’ve covered keeping track of your pets and their important documentation, but what if a fire starts and you can’t find your pet to get them out?
In this event, our Omaha fire damage restoration specialists recommend leaving a door to the outside open as you exit your home. This way, even if you can’t find your pet before you have to leave, they’ll have a chance to find the way out on their own. Once you and your family are out of the home and at a safe distance, call to your pet from outside the home to guide them by the sound of your voice.
Contact Our Fire Restoration Experts Today at (402) 502-7277
Here at Restoration Now! Omaha, we love our pets and want to do our best to keep them safe in any situation, and that’s why having a comprehensive plan in place in case of a home fire is so important. If you find yourself dealing with an Omaha fire damage situation, we want you to know that our team is here to help. Give us a call anytime, day or night, at (402) 502-7277—we’ll restore the fire damage to your home and get your life back to normal fast!